The Indians added to their bullpen depth on Tuesday, signing right-hander Jeff Manship to a Minor League contract that includes an invitation to attend Spring Training with the Major League club.

The one safe Major League prediction for 2015 is this: Competitive balance is going to be even more competitive and even more balanced than ever. This offseason is a considerable distance from the finish line. But some of the greatest strides have been taken by teams that finished with losing records in 2014. The Marlins, the Cubs, the Padres, the White Sox and the Red Sox have all made significant roster improvements.

Relief pitcher Charlie Furbush is scheduled to appear during the first week of the 2015 Mariners Caravan when it hits the road starting Tuesday, Jan. 6.

Jack Morris never met Gil Hodges. Too bad. They are the only players to have received at least 50 percent support in a Hall of Fame vote and not be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Ozzie Guillen was an accomplished manager. But the first Guillen topic almost always brought up is his pure entertainment value and controversial nature. This honesty and no-holds-barred approach might explain in part why Guillen is not currently managing.

As the baseball world reminisces about all that transpired in 2014, many fans will fondly remember what transpired during July’s final weekend, when six legendary figures were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Infielder Cliff Pennington avoided salary arbitration Sunday night by agreeing to a one-year deal with the D-backs, the club announced.

Baseball in the Golden State of California never has been so, well, golden. Coming off a 2014 season that seemingly couldn’t get any better — with four of the state’s five teams making the postseason and the amazing Giants winning another World Series — promise of an even more fascinating 2015 is in the cards.

Given the body of work in a career in which he may have played more baseball than just about anyone, as well as his standing as a pioneer for Latin American players, it’s inexplicable that Minnie Minoso has not been enshrined at Cooperstown.

For the second straight season, the Nationals and Orioles combined to crack the 5 million mark in home attendance. Both teams were division champions, both winning 96 games — these teams are easy to root for.

This offseason, Trevor Bauer embarked on his annual information-gathering tour armed with nearly a full sample of Major League innings to analyze. The young right-hander spent nearly the entire 2014 season in Cleveland’s rotation, experiencing enough ups and downs to provide him with a platform from which to build. Bauer did not want to waste any time in getting started.

Now they can call it the Penn Stripe Bowl. Penn State stamped its name on Yankee Stadium and the bowl season Saturday, when it used multiple instances of last-minute heroics from kicker Sam Ficken to take a 31-30 overtime win over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Penn State field goal unit is apparently a pretty prescient bunch. The moment kicker Sam Ficken sat down at Derek Jeter’s locker on Friday, the group accurately predicted the finish to a thrilling Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday evening.

The fifth edition of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium was its first sellout.

In the age of free agency, rosters are always subject to the requisite offseason evolution, but what’s happened these last two months has been particularly nuts, and it has provided a fitting cap to a calendar year that has never lacked surprise or intrigue.

The Phillies and veteran left-hander Wandy Rodriguez agreed to a Minor League contract on Saturday, according to CSNPhilly.com. The reported deal is pending a physical, and the Phillies have not commented.

Do the Nationals have anyone on the club who can take over second base? What does the future hold for Jordan Zimmermann? Nationals beat reporter Bill Ladson answers these questions and more.